Fishing is normally considered a relaxing sport but it does have its perils. The major one is ending up with a hook buried in the hand or another part of your body. Most fishermen at one time or another have been hooked and getting the hook removed without tremendous pain is a challenge. Last year I went fishing on Clear Lake with a friend from Marin County. We were on the water by 5:30 a.m. and on his second cast he caught a nice bass on a topwater lure. As he was removing the hook from the fish's mouth I heard a loud cry. I quickly looked at my partner and he had the treble hook buried in his hand. I got a hold of the fish released it and then tended to my partner. Looking at the hook I knew there was no way that I could remove it without hurting him.
The decision was made to take him to the emergency room at Sutter Lakeside Hospital. We loaded the boat on the trailer at Library park in Lakeport and headed for Lakeside, arriving there at 6 a.m. The staff at the emergency room were nothing short of fantastic. They quickly admitted him and the emergency room doctor arrived within minutes. He took one look at my friend's hand and grabbed a pair of heavy duty wire cutters and cut off the hook. He then took an instrument and ran it up alongside the hook and pulled out the fish hook. The doctor did the same with the other two hooks that were embedded in my friend's fingers. A tetanus shot and antibiotics were given and we were done. The entire operation took less than 15 minutes and we were back on our way to the boat ramp to go fishing. My friend's only comment was that the service from the Sutter Lakeside Hospital emergency room was nothing short of fantastic.
Removing a fish hook is nothing new to medical personnel in Lake County. The excellent fishing in Clear Lake draws thousands of anglers yearly and a good number of are stuck with a fishing hook. The most common method of removing a hook from a hand or fingers is to take a strong piece line and tie it to the shank part of the hook. The next step is to apply pressure to the eye part of the hook which reduces the damage the barb can cause as the hook is removed. The final step is to give the line a quick jerk. It most cases the hook will pop out. Once the hook is out, apply soap or a disinfectant to the wound to cleanse it. On three different occasions I have removed a stuck hook from a fisherman's hands. I once removed a hook that was stick in the thigh of a fisherman. Luckily in all my years of fishing I have never had a hook stuck in me.
Another method is to push the hook through the skin and then cut it off just below the barb. The hook can then be easily removed. Every fisherman should carry a heavy duty pair of wire cutters because a hook can be difficult to cut. If the hook is deeply embedded in the hand, leg or other part of your body, seek medical help.
Removing a hook safely from a caught fish takes a little doing. First your hands should be wet and you should use a pair of long-nosed pliers. Grasp the fish by the lower jaw which will immobilize it. Take the pliers and grab the part of the hook that is imbedded in the fish. Twist the pliers and the hook should come out. Most of the fishing lures have treble hooks and they are very sharp.
A good policy is to never allow a youngster to handle a caught fish. In fact, if the fisherman is a novice then you should remove the hook for him. Most of the experienced fishing guides have a policy of never allowing their clients to handle a caught fish until the hook is removed.
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